


The Fallen Human

by TheGoldenGhost



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Implied Child Death, Pre-Canon, also this is based primarily on headcanons, as most things involving Gaster tend to be, nothing shown though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-10-10 03:11:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20521001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGoldenGhost/pseuds/TheGoldenGhost
Summary: Gaster is attending to his newly made creations when he comes across an unexpected guest and has to make a very important decision.





	The Fallen Human

**Author's Note:**

> All the skeletons would usually speak in the fonts that they are named after, the only trouble is that Ao3 does not, as far as I know, allow for different fonts, and if it does I don't know how to format it. The reason the human cannot understand Gaster's speech is because he speaks in Wingdings, a font that must be carefully studied or translated in order to be understood. My headcanon for this is that certain monsters can understand Gaster's speech, but only if they know him well.

It was funny, how these things happened. Even when anticipated, they still came unannounced and unplanned.

Gaster had heard rumor of a newly fallen human, one that had supposedly dusted three monsters up near Snowdin, but he wasn’t concerned with it. It would die long before it ever reached the laboratory, and if it didn’t – if by some chance it did make it to Asgore, the king would take care of it.

That, however, was not how things went.

He was checking in on Sans. His newest creation was quickly growing in intelligence, though still lacking in size and strength. That would come in time, he hoped. At the very least, Sans was living, which was more than he could say for the rest of the batch of artificial souls he’d attempted to make along with him. He was partway through when he heard from the entry passage the sound of Verdana’s alarm call. His oldest creation was in distress. “What is your business here, creature? You’re not supposed to be down here!”

So. Not so much distress as anger, but that was typical of Verdana. She was quite proud of her defensive ability, which is why Gaster never dared to let her go outside. She was volatile. He was making his way to the entry to see what “creature” had trespassed, and protect it from his creation, when he heard Kaiti interject.

“What are you doing here? Leave us alone!”

That was worse. Not because Kaiti could not defend themself but because Verdana would be more than protective of her sibling. He entered the passage, announcing his presence. “WHAT IS GOING ON?”

The two young skeletons turned to look at their creator, wide-eyed. Verdana had her palms up and was ready to throw magic at a second’s notice while Kaiti crouched behind her, trying to seem small. Before them, just in front of the elevator that would have taken it up to Hotlands if it was wise, was a human child.

“What is it, Doctor? Is it a human? May I destroy it?” Verdana asked politely.

The human looked up at Gaster without speaking, and Gaster regarded it. It was hard to determine its age, other than the fact that it was young, and smaller than the other ones he’d seen. Perhaps it was younger than the rest, or perhaps only stunted. Gaster also couldn’t be sure of its sex. Male and female humans had distinctive characteristics, but only as adults. Children were just as enigmatic about that sort of thing as skeletons. Perhaps they decided it later on. In any case it was gripping a frying pan and dressed in filthy clothing, not helped much by the dirty apron tied round its waist.

“REMARKABLE” Gaster said quietly before addressing Verdana. “YES, IT IS HUMAN. DO NOT HURT IT, VERDANA. IT IS A GUEST.”

The human shuddered at the sound of his voice, but noticed that Verdana and Kaiti had backed away. It looked back up at Gaster. “Who – who are you?”

“Who are _you_?” Verdana shot back. Kaiti nudged her.

“Should we go, sir?” They asked Gaster. He nodded.

“CHECK ON SANS' PROGRESS FOR ME, PLEASE. I'LL BE BACK SHORTLY.” He watched the two creations scamper off to make a status report on the baby. He’d have to look it over to make sure it was accurate, but right now, this was much more important.

Now he was alone with it. An unfathomable creature from the surface world who had the dust of three monsters on its hands. And yet it was staring at Gaster with a look of mixed apprehension, curiosity and – something else. Not Determination; Gaster would have recognized that. Not Bravery, either, or Integrity. Patience? Maybe. “Are you going to hurt me?” It asked.

He could have asked it the same question. Incredible. “SHOULD I?”

The human looked perplexed. Gaster realized it didn’t understand his voice. He considered for a moment calling Kaiti back to translate, but – no. That would be unwise. He couldn’t risk Kaiti, and they shouldn’t see what was about to transpire anyway. Tentatively, he began to sign to the human, hoping the language hadn’t changed too much during the hundreds of years in the Underground. _HOW DID YOU GET HERE? _

The human watched closely, and then by some miracle of comprehension, signed back.

_ FELL._

_ YOU CAN SPEAK. I CAN HEAR YOU. _Gaster signed. _HOW DID YOU FIND THE LAB?_

“I came down the elevator. I didn’t know it was a lab. I thought there might be someone here who could take me to the King. Can you do that? Do you know him? King Asgore, I mean.”

_ I KNOW HIM WELL. I AM HIS ROYAL SCIENTIST_. _HOWEVER, I CANNOT BRING YOU TO HIM IF YOU WISH HIM HARM._

“I don’t!” the human explained. “I mean, those monsters, they – I didn’t mean to – I didn’t know how easy it was,” its voice wavered, almost breaking. “Do you know about that? I’m sorry. I won’t hurt your King, I promise. I just want to go home.”

Impossible. And the child would have to learn just how impossible this request truly was. It was only a pity that it was Gaster who was the one who would have to explain it. This would have to be handled – delicately. _COME WITH ME_, he signed. _WE WILL GO FURTHER INTO THE LAB._ Where they wouldn’t be disturbed, and no one would be likely to find out what happened.

Gaster held out his hand to the child and it took it, in a surprising show of trust. The actual building was large and could be easily confusing for a creature from the surface world who was used to open spaces with lots of light. No such thing existed down here.

“Who were those other monsters?” the human asked as they walked. Gaster couldn’t reply with one of his hands preoccupied. “Were they your children?” it continued after a while.

“NO.” Gaster responded aloud, though he knew the human would have no idea what he was saying. They were creations, not children, though they were essentially no different than ordinary young skeletons in intelligence and size. Their abilities, on the other hand, bordered on miraculous. At least, Verdana’s did. Kaiti’s, not so much, but that hardly mattered. The fact that the two of them had survived was incredible in itself.

They arrived at the door to the innermost chamber, which Gaster opened, led the human inside and then fastened it. The door locked with a click. No one would be leaving that way. _IT SEEMS YOU HAVE REACHED THE END OF YOUR JOURNEY, _he signed.

The child gripped tightly to the handle of its pan. “It doesn’t have to be, though. Is there something you want?

_ YOU CAN PUT THIS DOWN. IT WILL NOT HELP YOU,_ Gaster signed, placing a hand lightly on the pan when he was finished. The human shook its head, still staring at him. _VERY WELL. _

“It’s mine.”

_ I UNDERSTAND. KEEP IT IF YOU MUST. _

“It’s not – it’s not a weapon, though. It’s all I have but it’s not for fighting. I’m supposed to go back to Toriel when I’m done here. I told her I would come back. I – I was going to show her how to make pancakes.”

Gaster drew back at the mention of Toriel’s name. There was a regret that would never fade; it seemed, no matter how many humans stumbled into the Underground and how certain he was of his convictions. He missed her. But she’d also let the child walk into danger. _SHE KNEW THE CONSEQUENCES,_ he signed simply.

“Are you going to hurt me?”

_ ARE YOU GOING TO HURT _ME_? _Gaster gestured to the pan.

“Yes. I mean, no, no I won’t if I don’t have to. I don’t want to fight anymore.”

_ NEITHER DO I. BUT WE MUST_.

“Why? I don’t understand.”

No, of course it wouldn’t. Humans had such brief lives. Verdana had been alive for only five years now and she still couldn’t grasp the intricate details of life – that the world was not simply made of black and white, friends and enemies. Nothing was so neat and orderly. And humans, with their short lifespans, probably never would. It was one of the things that made them so dangerous.

All the same, Gaster knelt down to look the child in the face. _HUMANS AND MONSTERS CAN NEVER BE FRIENDS. WE MAY BE ABLE TO LIVE PEACEFULLY FOR A SHORT TIME, BUT IN THE END WE WILL ALWAYS COME TO DESTROY EACH OTHER._

“I don’t think so. I would be friends with you, if you’d stop attacking me.”

_ IT IS NOT SO SIMPLE. ONCE WE TRIED TO ACCEPT ONE OF YOUR KIND AS OUR OWN, AND IN THE END IT BROUGHT ONLY DESPAIR BEYOND COMPREHENSION. OUR WORLD HAS NEVER RECOVERED._

The human dropped its head sorrowfully. “I wouldn’t do a thing like that, honest.”

Gaster reached out to put a hand on the human’s head, recalling with a jolt how foreign the texture of their hair felt. It had been years since he’d remembered it. Still, the human looked back up and met his eyes. _IT WOULD NOT BE YOUR FAULT_, he signed. _IT IS THE WAY OF THE WORLD._

For a long moment, the human looked down at the pan it was holding, considering the consequences. Or perhaps it was staring at its reflection in the shiny surface. In any case, it seemed to make a decision about what its life meant. “I’m not going to fight you,” it said, softly. Trembling, it set the pan on the ground and stepped forward. “I’m going to show you how kind humans can be.”

Gaster straightened up to his full height, towering above the tiny creature, but it still stared up at him with nothing but benevolence in its face. _EXCELLENT. MOST EXCELLENT_.

He could almost come to regret it. Truly, he almost could.

He summoned his magic anyway. 


End file.
